What can be better than to lead a life enjoying the pleasures of sipping fine wines, traveling the world, and feeding from a buffet of globally-inspired cuisine. Feel free to join me on my journey as I try to bring my varied experiences to my daily life.

Saturday, 8 June 2013

wines of the west bank...

Israel and the Biblical Lands are gaining worldwide attention for producing quality wines, of which most are located in the cooler altitudes of the Golan Heights. Lower altitude, extreme temperatures, and a hot-bed for political unrest, the West Bank is not as well suited for viticulture. There is, however, another West Bank that is well suited for grape-growing and winemaking, and that West Bank is right here in the Okanagan Valley.

Peaceful Vineyards of the West Bank

If any city
in the world (let alone wine region) was in need of a name change, it was West
Bank, BC. Mostly sub-urban sprawl and strip malls, what is now officially known as West Kelowna is also home to
vineyards that, as with Kelowna across the lake, are suited to aromatic whites and a handful of cool-climate reds. Also found on these volcanic slopes are some of BC’s most iconic wineries as well as a growing number of boutique
producers.

Mission Hill (www.missionhillwinery.com) – Say
what you will about the Hill, but the success of the Okanagan can be attributed
to that of Mission Hill. Winner of the World’s Best Chardonnay in a 1994 London
competition, the international reputation of the Okanagan can be attributed to
Mission Hill. Since then, it’s iconic, Mondavi-inspired hilltop winery and
restaurant attract tens of thousands of visitors each year, and the wineries of
the West Bank reap the benefits of these visits. Solid wines at various price
points are offered from the everyday Five-Vineyards labels up to the top-tier
Meritage Oculus; a recent tasting of a 2002 showed how long these wines can
age.

Quail’s Gate (www.quailsgate.com) – Although it tends to
sit in the shadow of Mission Hill, Quail’s Gate is another icon of the West
Bank. The tiny tasting cottage was expanded to a large tasting room, shop, and
restaurant complex to accommodate its growing reputation. Surprisingly, the
Swiss grape Chasselas is Quail’s Gate largest selling wine, but the Old Vine
Foch is also truly unique.

Rollingdale (www.rollingdale.ca) – A small producer
that has a growing reputation for its organic wines. As with Quail’s Gate, look
for their Marichel Foch for something different and good; recent releases that
have seen no oak are showing great fruit flavours.

Mount Boucherie (www.mtboucherie.com) – The north may be
all about aromatic whites, but Mount Boucherie shows that cool climate reds are
also a source of interesting wines. Their Gamay is light and fruity, and the
Austrian Blaufrankisch is one of the few in the province.

Volcanic Hills (www.volcanichillswinery.com) – A newcomer
to the West Bank, Volcanic Hills is a throwback to my obsession with Okanagan
geology; the soils around Kelowna have pockets of volcanic residue from long
extinct eruptions. The reds are gaining a reputation.

Kalala (www.kalala.ca)
– Another chapter in the grower-turned-vintner story of the Okanagan, the Sidhu
family have branched out onto their own, taking all 90 acres of prime vineyard
with them. Even more important, Kalala is entirely organic and are improving
with each vintage. The weighty and aromatic Viognier is more Rhone-style than
others in the region, and their Merlot-based Dostana labelis also very good.